This invention relates to a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a fuel system including a flow-through pressure regulator with a self-contained valve assembly for a vehicle powered by a fuel injected combustion engine.
Most modern automotive vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine that is connected with a source of fuel, e.g., gasoline, diesel, natural gas, alcohol, hydrogen, etc. The fuel is stored on-board the vehicle and supplied to the engine in a precisely controlled manner.
According to a conventional fuel system, gasoline is stored in a tank on-board a vehicle. The gasoline is withdrawn from the tank by a pump and fed through a filter to fuel injectors, which deliver the gasoline to combustion cylinders in the engine. The fuel injectors are mounted on a fuel rail to which fuel is supplied by the pump. The pressure at which the fuel is supplied to the fuel rail must be metered to ensure the proper operation of the fuel injectors. Metering is carried out by using pressure regulators which control the pressure of the fuel in the system at all engine r.p.m. levels.
It is believed that some existing pressure regulators employ a spring biased valve seat with a longitudinal flow passage. The valve seat is biased to a closed position at low fuel pressures. As fuel pressure builds in the system, the pressure against the valve seat overcomes the biasing force of the spring, allowing fuel to flow through the valve seat, thereby controlling the fuel pressure in the system.
In this type of pressure regulator, the valve seat and valve member were distinct components with various parts. The components are located at different positions within the housing of the pressure regulator and provide a valve assembly with distributed operative parts. These parts are believed to require detailed machining to fabricate. Thus, it is believed that a flow-through pressure regulator is needed that has a valve assembly that can be fabricated with fewer machined components, as well as with fewer components overall and that is configured within the pressure regulator so that the components are contained with a single operative part, i.e., self-contained.
The present invention provides a fuel system for an internal combustion engine powered by fuel that includes a fuel tank having a wall defining a volume. The fuel system also includes a pump that is disposed proximate the fuel tank and operatively connected to the volume. The fuel system further includes piping that is coupled to the pump and is operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine. A pressure regulator with a self-contained valve assembly is disposed in at least one of the pump or the piping.
The present invention also provides a method of supplying fuel tank to an internal combustion engine using a pump, a pressure regulator, and piping connecting the fuel tank, internal combustion engine, pump, and pressure regulator. The pressure regulator includes a self-contained valve assembly and an inlet and an outlet offset along an axis. The method is achieved by disposing the valve assembly with a closure member in a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet. The valve assembly defines the communication path between the inlet and the outlet. The method is also achieved by occluding flow between the inlet and outlet through the communication path of the valve assembly with the closure member when the valve assembly is in a first position at a first pressure and by permitting flow between the inlet and outlet through the communication path of the valve assembly when the valve assembly is in a second position at a second pressure.